The Last Place You'd Look
by ihaveashortattentionspan
Summary: AU, OOC & ALL HUMAN. Bella and Edward meet at an airport in Austraila. Then he becomes the new guy at Forks High. Will Bella be able to keep Edwards attention or will someone else steal his heart?
1. Catching Things

Okay, so this is going to be one of those very clichéd stories where a girl meets a guy, they fall in lust and love.

I never thought of myself as one of those romantics, but, I loved every single minute of my adventure.

I should introduce myself, I think. I'm Bella. The guy I fall hopelessly in love with is Edward.

So the story begins with the airport, me and my mom, Renee, waiting for our flight back to Forks. My dad, Charlie would probably be waiting at home with welcome home pizza; he couldn't cook to save his life. The last time he cooked, he set our stove on fire.

We were looking at the hundreds of useless pictures my mom took on our trip to Australia. She wanted to "remember every single precious minute of our trip". She held me against my will in front of every single monument and piece of art. She was the photographer and I the model. It took the local pharmacy a whole day to develop all of the pictures she took, most of them silly or blurry. She stopped at times to laugh at how silly I looked, which was pretty often because she took most of the pictures when I wasn't looking.

"Haha! I still can't believe you fell into the fountain. And remember that guy that helped you up, and then winked at you?" Renee said, laughing her trademark laugh that sounded like music. It was that laugh that got my dad to ask her out so many years ago.

I blushed. One of my two talents: falling and blushing. I had gotten to be very good at both over the last 17 years.

Renee is a very spontaneous person, which is the main reason for why we were sitting in an Australian airport in the middle of the cold July weather. One day, about a month ago, she decided, well more yelled, we were taking a trip to Australia. I wasn't surprised at the sudden outburst (she had these frequently), but I was surprised that she had actually planned out a two-week trip and bought the tickets. Charlie wouldn't be able to come with us; he was married to his work as much as he was to Renee. A week after Renee decided and convinced me, we were driving to the Port Angles airport, about an hour away from Forks, the tiny town we lived in.

The trip was awesome. Well, no. That's an understatement. The trip was absolutely amazing and I am SO sad that we left Australia. On the day before we were supposed to leave, I begged Renee for hours trying to convince her to live there, even though I knew it was so much of a stretch it was comical.

Using any excuse to get away from Renee constantly teasing me about my clumsiness, I said, "Hey, mom? I need to use the bathroom, so could you hold your hysterics for like 10 minutes?"

"Alright, don't get lost or trip, Bella," she said, still chuckling as she looked at more pictures. To me, she kinda sounded like Santa, except her chuckle wasn't as deep.

I had already seen the sign overhead for the bathrooms, so I rounded a corner and leaned against the wall before continuing on my way. I needed a minute to clear my head from the laughing. I loved my mom, but sometimes I feel that she isn't just kidding when she laughs at me.

Not looking where I was going, I bumped into someone. I blushed almost instantly as a knee-jerk reaction and said sorry to whoever it was.

Boy, was the face a sight.

My first thought before seeing the guy's face was, _damn this guy has a nice body... _But all thoughts of the guy's body vanished when I looked up at the guy's face. He met my eyes in a gaze and then it happened.

I felt as if the whole world just stopped. My breath hitched in my throat and I swallowed nosily. His green eyes seemed endless and they were so damn bright. He smiled apologetically and put his hands around my shoulders to keep me from falling flat on my ass.

He murmured, "Sorry," still holding my gaze. He was the first one to react. He slowly walked away, backwards, as he kept his eyes locked onto mine. I turned around in sync with him, our bodies moving together, although not touching. I couldn't stand the intensity of his gaze, so I looked down at the blase tiled floor, wishing my blush would go away. The last thing I heard from him was a musical chuckle and a "bye, hope we meet again". My head was spinning. I put my hand on my forehead and closed my eyes.

Its sounds incredibly love-story-ish, but the moment we touched, I felt like I'd known him forever and I was just waiting for his appearance.

The ye gods and goddesses must've taken over my body, because I did something so completely out of character that if my mom were here, she'd be chomping on popcorn and screaming out, "OH MY GOD. YOU DID NOT JUST SAY THAT. HONEY, IM SO PROUD OF YOU FOR FINALLY COMING OUT OF YOUR SHELL!" Yeah, she was always one for being subtle…

I took a deep breath and said, "Hey! Wait up! I-I wanted to thank you. If you didn't catch me, I'd be sitting on the floor rubbing my butt." I grinned at him. He smiled a smile so breathtaking, I think I actually gasped.

He said, "No worries. As long as you're safe and sound, there's nothing to apologize for. Plus, it'd be a shame to see something that cute sitting on the floor all dirty." Then he winked at me.

I blushed again. He definitely noticed because he murmured, "That blush is very pretty on you." Thank god he changed the subject, or else I would've started stuttering again. "So, can I find out the damsel-no-longer-in-distress's name or is that something else I'm not allowed to catch?"

After his first line, I blushed even harder and smiled up at him. "Thanks, maybe you could see it again sometime. My name's Isabella. But call me Bella instead."

He once again laughed his musical laugh. "My name is Edward. And yeah, hopefully I will see you again. Do you want to help that cause and give me your phone number and where you're traveling to?"

I decided to be flirtatious and tease him. Two could play this game, right? "What if I don't wanna help that cause? Whatcha gonna do about it?" I said with a grin.

When I said that, I didn't expect two things. One, to be that forward with a guy that, albeit cute, I just met. Two? For Edward to be better at the game than I was.


	2. Hook, Line and Sinker

_Previously:_

_When I said that, I didn't expect two things. One, to be that forward with a guy that, albeit cute, I just met. Two? For Edward to be better at the game than I was._

"I could think of many, many, many things to do about you not helping the cause," Edward replied in a husky voice.

It sounded so very different, good different, from the velvety voice I heard before. It was more intimate, in a way, and I was really hoping I'd get to hear it again. My head was spinning from hearing his voice and what he said in itself.

Once again, I showcased my famous blush. "Oh, well yo-you know. You should, uh, think about it some more maybe. You know, refine the list. Edit it. Make it better. 'Cause why would you want bad things to help me, right? I know we don't really know each other at all, but you probably don't want to not help me. That would just mess up the picture I have of you in my head."

Realizing the last thing I said, I mentally slapped myself over and over. And over again. Not only was I blabbing on and on about God knows what, I also made myself sound like a pervert in front of Edward. Never mind what I sounded like. I became conscious of the way I looked.

Unknowingly, I'd slapped my forehead when I thought I only mentally did it. My face doesn't really hide any emotions. My mom called me an open book, which is why I could never lie successfully. She also said I wore my heart on my sleeve.

But enough about my mom, this was, sadly, about me embarrassing myself for the umpteenth time. My head was tilted down; it was a reflex to do that when I said something stupid. My feet were pigeon-toed and I was unconsciously wringing my hands together, something I did when I was nervous. Even though Edward was dazzling, the things he said didn't make him look like a saint. I'd just met him, how could he be so forward with me?

Taking a deep breath, I sounded calmer than I actually was. I said, "Okay, ladies and gentlemen, that was another episode of What Bella Does to Embarrass Herself", in hopes of getting Edward to laugh and possibly (but not probably) forget my rant just moments before.

As I already suspected, my diversion didn't work. But it got him to laugh his wonderfully musical laugh again and that was totally worth making a fool out of me. On top of that, he tried to make me feel better, which was so sweet of him. Then I backtracked. It wasn't like me to gush about a guy's laugh or how sweet they were. But then again, it wasn't like me to flirt with a perfect stranger so I told myself that there was a first time for everything. Besides, if he was that forward with me, I could do the same.

Hook.

It's not like his impression of me is perfect since I messed up so many time already: what with the blushing and the slapping and the ranting. The awkward moment passed and he then he uttered the words that started our relationship which were also the most beautiful combination of words ever put together in the history of the English language: "So, do you wanna sit somewhere and grab some food?"

Line.

"Yes. I would really, really, really like that. A lot," I replied with a huge smile. He smiled a crooked grin that sent my heart into overdrive. I seriously wondered why I didn't go into cardiac arrest right then and there.

And sinker.

I knew it from that very second. No, millisecond. I knew that it was one of those love-at-first-sight things. Even if I wasn't sure he felt the same, I knew. Of course I read about love in books. Seen it in movies. Witnessed it at school, courtesy of the lunchroom. But never did I think I would be feeling it in Australia. With a guy I didn't even know. At the airport.

He offered his hand, and if that wasn't enough to leave me gasping, interlaced our fingers together. His hand felt so right in mine; like ours were two pieces of a puzzle and, stupid as it sounds, fit perfectly. Mine, small and delicate, seemed to be a perfect match for his bigger hand and long, elegant fingers. I must've been staring at our hands because he placed a finger under my chin and pushed it up slightly.

"I know my hand is very pretty, but I'd prefer looking in your eyes rather than your hair. Not that your hair isn't beautiful, but I think the view would be more breathtaking if you were looking at me," he said. How could a guy mock me and make me feel like the prettiest girl around at the same time? I was amazed.

Did he have a book full of these sorts of lines? Did he usually sweep women off his feet this way? Was he some sort of womanizer? Or was he a Prince Charming: amazing, romantic, and everything a girl wanted in a guy? Obviously I had no idea, but I was a little scared of the fact that I might have fallen for a heartbreaker.

Like clockwork, the blush crept into my cheeks. I apologized for ruining his view and told him I'd have to talk to my mom first but would he like to come with me? He agreed, like I knew he would.

"So, where ya headed? Home or your home away from home?" I casually mentioned on the way back to terminal four, hoping Edward was prepared for the loud shrieking that was bound to happen once we reached my mother.

"Well, this," motioning to the airport (which I took to mean all of Australia), "is my home away from home. But I'm not exactly headed home. My father, Carlisle, just got a new job in some small town in Washington and so I suppose I'm headed to my new home. Okay, I'm just confusing you. Why don't you tell me where-" he stopped talking midsentence and then I realized that he stopped walking altogether.

I was confused. He probably suddenly figured out that I wasn't up to his standards. That I wasn't worth flirting with anymore. That getting food with me was a waste of money.

"Holy. Shit," he declared. Very loudly, I might say. So now, we were a few steps away from where my mom was sitting and people were looking at us. Edward had a bewildered expression and I probably looked puzzled. He muttered something under his breath that I couldn't hear very clearly but I thought I heard something about fate. I didn't have time to think about that when he started talking again.

"This is your terminal? Are you shitting me? You're going to Washington? God must really like me today, huh?" Edward's face had changed from shock to confusion to happiness as he fired questions at me.

"Yes, this is my terminal; no, I'm not shitting you; yes I'm going to Washington," I answered.

Then I understood. I wanted to jump for joy, literally. It really must have been fate because Edward was going on the same flight as me. We were going to the same place. Which meant I could see him more.

"YES! OH MY GOD, THIS MEANS I CAN SEE YOU AGAIN! THIS MEANS A LOT OF REALLY, REALLY GREAT THINGS!" I practically screamed. This seemed to catch my mom's attention because she turned around to see what the commotion was about.

"C'mon, Edward, come meet my mom and we can go get food."

"Bella, this… is great. I really didn't expect this," he said. He seemed to be just as happy as I was and now I was eager to go see my mom and get the hell out of there. Somehow during all of this, we had let go of each other's hands and I promptly dragged him over to my now very amused mother.

"Hey! Mom! So I met this guy, his name is Edward and I wanna go get food with him and the plane isn't due to take off for another hour so can I go? Please please please please please?" I said in one breath and clasped my hands together to plead with her.

"Sure, hon, but maybe you should introduce me to this fine gentleman whose name I'm assuming is Edward No Last Name?"

Edward laughed his beautiful laugh and smoothly said, "Hi, Bella's mom. I certainly hope I'm a fine gentleman but sadly, my last name isn't No Last Name. It's Cullen."

I blushed inwardly at the fact that I didn't even know his last name and he was already asking me out on a date. Sort of. Things were moving too fast and I knew it. But I didn't care, really. Care was out the freaking door right now. No guy this good looking had ever done anything close to this and I wasn't concerned with the future. I just knew I wanted to spend time with this mysterious and wonderful Edward Cullen.

My mom's laugh had broken me out of my reverie. I wasn't surprised to see that they were getting along so fast. She was so bubbly, you couldn't help but to be happy when she was talking to you.

"Hey, mom, I saw him first," I teased, "Plus, don't you have Charlie waiting at home for his beautiful wife?"

"Sorry Bella, but Edward is too cute to not steal! Charlie can understand, can't he?" She teased back.

I rolled my eyes and stuck my tongue out at her. Edward laughed and tried to make peace between our mock fight.

"Girls, girls. There's plenty of me to go around! You guys can share, right?"

I pouted at the thought of having to share Edward and shot my mom a look. She quickly understood and shooed us away.

"I guess Bella can have you. I'll just have to settle for my husband back home. You too have fun! Don't forget to come back in an hour," she said to our retreating backs. At that point, I'd already turned us both around and started walking. Then I stopped when a thought hit me.

"Wait, Edward, what about your family? Arent they worried about where you went?"

"Oh, I'm not here with my parents. I'm here with my friends Emmett and Jasper. Our parents were friends long before we were born, way back in college. They do everything together and so the tradition has been passed on to us. We're here on vacation before we all have to move."

"That's just like my two best friends! Our parents met after Rose, Alice and I became best friends in freshman year. Since then, we've stuck together and so have our parents."

"Whoa. Coincidence much? But I suppose if you want to meet my friends, you can. I warn you, they're the epitome of boys and they are going to tease us."

"I would love to meet your friends. And seeing how our situation panned out, I sort of want to set them up with Rose and Alice."

"Great minds think alike. I was thinking the same thing. But I was thinking we could set them up so I could have something to tease _them _about. Let's go!"

We walked to the other side of the terminal and approached two guys, about our age, bickering over something.

"Dude, we went there on Wednesday. I'm so sure it was Wednesday 'cause I remember seeing that smokin' hot chick on Wednesday," one of them said. He was huge, with muscles bulging beneath his shirt. Perfect for Rose, I thought. She had such high standards and barely dated anyone that didn't pass all of them. He had a mop of curly brown hair and dimples. I admit he looked a bit scary until the dimples popped out. Then, he was cute.

"No, Emmett, it was Thursday. Seriously, when have you ever been right about anything?" the blond one said. He was equally good looking and I wondered if the criteria to be Edward's friend was the be hot. His blond hair complimented his bright blue eyes. He was a lot leaner than the big guy, though you could tell he wasn't stick thin. Even more coincidentally, he matched Alice's perfect guy to a T. She preferred blondes while Rosalie preferred brunettes.

At that point, I thought karma was the furthest thing from a bitch and we'd also stopped short right in front of the two boys. They seemed to notice mine and Edward's presence because they both stopped midsentence and looked up.

Edward cleared his throat and introduced me, "Hey, guys stop arguing like old ladies and meet someone. Her name's Isabella Swan, but she prefers to be called Bella." Then he turned to me and said, "Bella, these are my annoying but lovable friends Emmett," motioning to the bigger guy, "and Jasper."

Emmett was the first to speak, "Dude, you said you were going to the bathroom. Was that code for picking up hot girls or something? 'Cause I totally wasn't notified. That sounds way cooler than actually saying you're gonna go pick up a hot girl!" He grinned and winked at me.

I scoffed at what Emmett said. I was far from a hot girl… wasn't I? The conversation continued, forcing me to pause the conversation I was having in my head.

Jasper, thankfully, said something less embarrassing. "Hey there! Please ignore our bear of a friend, he talks right out of his ass. You learn to ignore his comments after a while. But he does speak the truth. How does Edward go from the bathroom to…" he seemed to be finding the right word.

I finished his sentence for him, "… me?" He was satisfied with my answer and nodded.

We all turned to Edward to answer the question, me included because I knew I would stutter or blush way more than necessary. He was a talker, making the story of our meeting sound so interesting. I almost forgot I was the girl he was talking about. Thinking about this, I missed some of the story and only caught the last couple of words he said.

"… and it turns out she has two friends that she thinks would be perfect-o for you guys and I know for a fact you'll be interested. Anyways, we're going to grab some food and we'll be back later."

Emmett and Jasper both had semi-shocked expressions as they nodded and bumped fists. Maybe Edward didn't pick up girls all the time after all? I still had hope! I must've had a look of happiness because Emmett decided to comment on it.

"Someone's happy to be eating with little ol' Ed here. We won't waste any of your precious time. Have fun! Don't do anything I wouldn't!"

Something in Edward's eye roll made me think that there weren't many things that Emmett wouldn't do with a girl. Good, I figured, another thing that would please Rose. She was a very daring and outgoing girl and loved to have fun.

"Yes, sir," Edward replied with a mock salute. I waved good-bye and hoped to see them again. They seemed like fun guys and Emmett, at least, could make me laugh.

Edward turned around and I followed behind, but not for long. He maneuvered his hand to the small of my back, guiding me towards the food court. This gesture was very boyfriend-like in my opinion and I was ecstatic that Edward was such a gentleman. I predicted that he would insist on paying for my food and holding out my chair as well.

All too soon, we arrived at the food court and Edward took his hand off my back. "So, what'll it be? Panda Express, Sbarro, McDonald's or Starbucks?"

**Disclaimer: I, sadly, don't own Twilight or any of its characters. Or Panda Express, Sbarro, McDonald's and Starbucks.**

**This was mostly filler; getting the grub will be the next chapter!**

**Por favor, read and review? I finally understand how it feels to have hits but no reviews. I will respond to all of them! :D**


	3. Can't Help But Sound Cheesy

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, Sbarro, McDonald's, Panda Express or Starbucks.**

_Previously:_

_All too soon, we arrived at the food court and Edward took his hand off my back. "So, what'll it be? Panda Express, Sbarro, McDonald's or Starbucks?"_

I was instantly sad that he had removed his hand from my back. My feelings were probably written all over my face because Edward asked me if I was okay in a worried tone. I smiled at the fact that he was already so concerned with me although I'd only known him for an hour or two. I assured him I was fine and gave him a mega-watt smile to prove it. He relaxed and asked me what I wanted to eat again.

"Honestly, I'm kinda in the mood for everything. D'you ever get those times where you just want a bite of everything and that's all?"

He looked at me like I had suggested we eat dirt and I grew defensive. "What?! When I get presented with many different choices, I get greedy and just want all of 'em."

"Nononono! I didn't mean it like that! I was just really shocked because, well, I feel the same way," he said with a cheeky grin. Then it was my turn to put on the shocked expression.

"Ferreal?! That's so awesome! Holy shit, that's seriously coincidental. Look at that, we already have something in common," I said, feeling suddenly ecstatic that we had similar thoughts. But my thoughts turned to sadness when I thought of how little time we had left until we had to board the plane. I shook my head and decided to just relish in what time we had left.

Edward didn't notice anything wrong with me as he kept talking. "I know! Okay, so let's hit Sbarro first, I'm in the mood for a slice or two. Or three." He said the last part a bit reluctantly and I was confused. I frequently had two to three slices whenever Alice, Rose and I ordered pizza.

"I bet I can eat more slices than you!" I stuck my tongue out at him and waited for him to accept my challenge, like I knew he would.

"Hah! You're on! How about… if I win, you give me your number and if you win, I'll give you my number?" he said with a flirty smile, awaiting my response.

"Hmm, I think that's more than a fair trade. But you're paying, called it!" I ran to Sbarro before he could sweep me off my feet and do something to make me regret challenging him. He caught up to me in mere seconds and we laughed at our childishness together.

When we reached the counter, the boy behind the register gave us a warm smile and asked to take our order. I responded almost automatically, "Three plain slices, extra cheese. Please and thank you," I added on at the last minute, not wanting to come off as rude.

The boy shifted his gaze to Edward and I followed suit. He was staring intently at the menu above the cashier's head, as if this decision was the most important one he'd have to make in his life thus far. I burst out laughing at how intense his expression was. I couldn't help it.

Edward and the cashier snapped their heads to me and I quickly quieted down, feeling embarrassed yet again. I couldn't keep my laughter in and just as Edward opened his mouth to order, a short laugh escaped from my mouth and I covered it as if the action would cancel out the sound I made.

He looked at me blankly for a few moments, shook his head and turned his attention back to the cashier. "Four," he said pointedly in my direction, "mushroom slices, thanks."

The cashier pushed some buttons on the cash register and I took the time to look at his nametag. It said MIKE in big bold letters. Edward must've read it as well because he said, "So, Mike, how much will it be?"

"Your order and the lady's?"

"The very one," he replied and smiled at me. I couldn't help but smile back as Mike said the total was seventeen dollars and twenty-eight cents. I shook my head. Pizza shouldn't have to be over two bucks a slice, even if this was the airport 'cause the pizza's probably gonna suck. I mean come on. It's airport pizza.

Edward nudged me in the ribs with his elbows while putting the change back in his wallet. "You look pensive. A penny for your thoughts?"

I sighed. If I told him, I'd probably come off sounding dramatic, getting so worked up over the price of airport pizza. "It's nothing. Really. I was just thinking of airport pizza."

He narrowed his eyes at me, obviously not believing that was it but didn't push it and, thankfully, changed the topic. "If you say so, Bella. Anyways, let's go get our pizzas and some seats. I wanna learn all about you."

"Let's." He took our pizzas from Mike with a smile and waited while I grabbed some napkins. We walked over to an empty table for two and sat down. I realized how hungry I was and grabbed a slice. Edward, being the perfect gentleman I thought he'd be, waited for me to take the first bite before digging into his own slice.

I took a gigantic bite out of my slice and burned my tongue, spitting out the bite on my plate. I fanned my tongue and wished I had the sense to buy a drink. I looked over at Edward, noticing he was trying very hard not to laugh at me. Shooting him a look, I abruptly pushed my chair behind me and walked back over to Mike the Cashier.

His eyebrows went up a bit as I neared the cash register and I cut him off before he opened his mouth, "One coke, large. Extra large. The largest cup you have. Ice. Lots of ice. But not too much 'cause then I can't enjoy the taste of the coke for too long. Thanks. How much will it be?"

"Er. Three twenty four. I'll be right back with your drink."

When he walked away to fill up my drink, I fished in my pockets for some bills and the correct change. By the time he came back with my extra-large coke, I had three dollars and twenty-four cents on the counter. With a smile and a "thanks, have a nice day", I sauntered back over to Edward, sipping my drink along the way.

He, apparently, decided to ignore the fact that I left so fast without any warning and was eating his slice with ease. I blurted out, "Hey! Why isn't your tongue burning like mine?"

Wordlessly, he motioned to my seat and I complied, sitting down and placing my drink on the table. "I'm obviously a lot more careful than you, Isabella. Rashness isn't really my forte. As you can tell from watching me stare at the menu before," he said with a raised eyebrow, as if daring me to deny the fact that I was watching him.

I couldn't think of a witty comeback so I just stuck my tongue out at him again and he threw his head back in laughter. I was mezmorized by the sound of his laugh. It was wonderful; something I wanted to record and listen to over and over. Then I mentally scolded myself for obsessing over someone's freaking **laugh**.

He stopped laughing eventually and started asking me questions. At first they'd be easy to answer: my favorite color, what flowers I liked, which college I had in mind, what were Alice and Rose like, et cetera. Then they grew more and more deep, each one requiring more thought. Not that I minded. Talking to a guy about more than just sports was refreshing. There is so much more to the world than baseball and soccer.

Edward suddenly exclaimed, "WHOA!" I was startled, "WHAT! WHAT?" Then I realized we were being sort of loud and disrupting the tired travelers eating near us. I quieted down and asked again, "Seriously, Edward. What is it?"

"Well. It's just that we've been talking for like half an hour and I've asked you so many questions and I haven't asked about where you live! Speaking of half an hour, Bella, I think we have to board the plane soon," he frowned. "How about we get some Starbucks for the plane ride and I'll get you back to your mom. I'm sure she wants to hear all about our food run."

How right he was about my mom. Saddened again by the fact that he finally noticed how little time we had left, I answered his question which was met with a surprising reaction. "I live in Forks, Washington. It's about an hour or two away from Port Angeles which is an hour flight from Seattle."

"Bella, you never cease to amaze me. It really is as if fate struck me a thousand times today. Okay sorry for sounding so cheesy, but, I can't help but it when it comes to you," he said. Then he smiled as I blushed, again. I asked why he felt the need to be so cheesy. His answer made my breath hitch and my heart stop.

"I'm moving to Forks from Seattle. Actually, we're probably going to be on the same connecting flight." This time he smiled as if he were looking at a pin-up or a Playboy cover: dazed and very, very content. I assumed he was thinking about how this wouldn't be the first and last time we were going to see each other because that's exactly what I was thinking.

Without considering Edward's feelings towards me, I leapt out of my seat and launched myself at him, engulfing him in a bone-crushing hug. I squeezed him tightly and was pleasantly surprised when he hugged me back just as hard.

"This is so freaking awesome," I whispered in his ear. I felt him smile against my hair and hugged him even tighter before reluctantly letting go. Holding him at arm's length, I took a good look at his face, as if studying him. His green eyes were so bright and shining, so full of life. His pale skin looked very smooth and I was itching to stroke his cheek. His hair, though, was my favorite feature. Tangled, messy and all over the place, it was crazy but I felt like it fit Edward perfectly. I couldn't imagine him without his bronze-that was the only word to describe the color-mop. He seemed to be studying me the same way and I blushed, dropping my arms and tugging on his.

"A picture lasts longer," I said with a smirk. "C'mon, Romeo, we need to get drinks so I can get back to my madre."

"So why didn't you take one? To save you some embarrassment, I'm going to keep talking and respond to your second comment: your wish is my command," he said and mock saluted me while rising out of his seat ever so gracefully. How could a guy who was supposed to be going through puberty do everything with such grace? Mind blowing, if you ask me. But then again, I might be a little bit biased.

He gently took my hand off his arm and laced his fingers through mine. During the whole thirty second walk to the Starbucks stand, I was in complete bliss. We stopped in front of the cashier and I got a feeling of déjà vu as he looked at the menu. I recited my order to the woman behind the cash register: double chocolaty chip.

"What size, miss? Tall, grande or venti?"

I thought for a moment or two and ultimately decided on a venti since I adored this drink and was supposed to make it last the whole plane ride. Secretly, I knew I'd be lucky if it lasted until we took off.

The cashier turned her attention to Edward, who had apparently decided on a drink.

"And for you, sir?"

"I'd like a java chip frappuccino, thanks," he replied, polite as ever. "Venti, for me as well," he added before she could ask him.

"Uh, are you guys paying together or separately?"

For me, the question seemed to have a double meaning. Obviously, she meant it literally, but I thought of it as a reference to mine and Edward's relationship. Were we two separate people, just happening to be friends for an hour or two? Or were we together, as in boyfriend/girlfriend, or even potential boyfriend/girlfriend? I grinned wildly at the thought of being Edward's girlfriend. I hoped his answer (which was together, by the way) a reference to us in addition to who would be paying for the drinks.

"Okay, your total is $10.38 and your drinks will be ready shortly. Please wait over there and the barista will say your drink name when it's ready."

Edward fished out his wallet from his pocket and rifled through the bills until he found a ten and a one. The cashier gave him back the change and he promptly deposited it in a clear box marked TIPS. She thanked him and we strolled over to the little area where a man was blending our drinks.

"So are we going to deal with the 'this-isn't-the-last-time-we're-going-to-see-each-other' thing now or later?" He asked, shooting me a furtive glance.

"Later, please. I just really want to enjoy some stress free and bliss filled time with you before we have to deal with the bitch. Also known as reality," I responded with a sigh. We were both lost in our own thoughts, most likely thinking about the future. Our future.

My own thoughts were broken as the barista said my order in a loud and clear voice, "Double chocolaty chip with whipped cream."

"Woohoo! That venti cup of chocolaty goodness is all mine," I said gleefully. Sucking on the straw, all thoughts of Edward and my future disappeared as I tasted each chocolate chunk in my mouth and swallowing. I knew I had a stoner-look plastered on my face as I drank my frap. I couldn't help it; these expensive things were my weakness.

Interrupting my thoughts for a second time, the barista said Edward's order in the same tone: "Java chip frappuccino with whipped cream." At this point I was fairly annoyed at the stupid barista who had, it appeared, impeccable timing and a knack for ruining a girl's train of thought.

Somehow, during my stoner moment, I had spun around; my back facing Edward. I turned on my heels and saw Edward practically gulping his drink down. I put my hand on his arm, as if to say slow down, and he got the message. His mouth left the straw and he swallowed the fairly large mouthful of java and chocolate still in there.

"Mmmm, this is so amazingly good. Starbucks is like tasting heaven. Only I don't think heaven would be this expensive."

The loudspeaker above us cracked for a few seconds and then an male voice said, "Now boarding flight CA829 to Seattle, Washington. Please proceed to terminal four. Thank you and have a night day."

I got more and more depressed as the man in the box spoke another sentence. I didn't want to leave Australia, I didn't want to go back to my mom who probably wanted to ambush me with questions and I most certainly did not want to sit in a cramped space without Edward beside me.

I sighed, squared my shoulders and looked up at Edward. He was looking at me with the same glum face that I probably had too. He wordlessly offered his hand and I took it. His holding my hand made the walk just a tiny bit nicer. All too soon, we reached my mother and he reluctantly let go.

At this point, I knew there was something wrong with me. I'd barely known this guy for two hours and I was acting as if one of my best friends was moving away. _Get a hold of yourself, Bella. He's just a guy. You'll have plenty of chances to see him again! You guys are taking the same plane and connecting flight. He's going to be living in Forks, for crying out loud. Get. A. Grip._ Shaking my head, I put a wide smile on my face and practically forced myself to not seem so depressed.

"Okay! So! I'll see you on the plane, maybe? Well not maybe, 'cause you're definitely taking the same flight. Or else why would you be sitting in this terminal? Duh, Bella," I rambled and hit my head as if to say how could I not know that?

"Bella, Bella, Bella. What am I going to do with you?"

"You could hug me goodbye and give me your number so I can find out where you are when we're both on the plane? I did win that bet after all," I shot back with a grin.

He scoffed. "Oh please, Bella, I won that bet and you know it. You saw me shove four slices down my throat!"

"Edward, I seem to recall eating your last slice. Do you not remember?" I said triumphantly.

He rolled his eyes at me, and I took that as him admitting defeat.

"Give me your phone," I ordered suddenly. He shot me a confused look but pulled out a sleek iPhone from his pocket. I fumbled with the device, as I had never used one before. Alice had one but it looked too high-tech and I didn't want to break hers so I never touched it.

Finally, I figured out how to add a new contact in his phone book and typed in Bella Swan and my number. Handing the phone back to him, I took my Sidekick out of my butt pocket and gave it to him as well.

"Here, put your number and stuff in my phone book. The code's 094."

He seemed to be much more familiar with my phone than I was with his. As he was typing, I gently pushed him in the general direction of my mom's seat and situated him in front of her. I plopped down on the chair next to my mom and looked up at Edward. He was just flipping the screen down and passed it back to me. She raised an eyebrow at me and I shook my head, my way of telling her that I'd give her the 411 later.

"Okay, well thanks for walking me back to my seat. You'd better return to Emmett and Jasper, they probably want to hear all about our quote un-quote date. I'll call you when we're on the plane to see where you're sitting and we'll talk more later, yeah?"

He nodded swiftly and said goodbye to my mom politely. She grinned at him and waved, saying she better be seeing more of him in the future. He then picked up my hand and kissed the back of it, smiling that freaking crooked grin that sends me into cardiac arrest. I was dazzled by the time he walked away, looking over his shoulder and waving before jogging back to his friends.

I still had my stoner face on when I noticed my mom staring at me with a knowing look. "What?" I said.

"Nothing, nothing. Just tell me all about your date," she replied excitedly.

"Oh, mom, he is so awesome. He asked a lot about my life and about me in general. He actually listened to me babble too! We went to the food court and grabbed some pizza and Starbucks."

Of course my mom doesn't care about me babbling or going to the food court. She asks whether or not he paid in a very serious tone. Like my answer determined the outcome of our relationship.

I said yes, Edward paid for everything and my mom breathed out a sigh of relief. I took that to be a good sign and kept talking. "I know I'm young and I have the rest of my life to find boyfriends and true loves and husbands, but I don't think I need to. Is it weird that when I first bumped into Edward, quite literally, I felt like I knew him my whole life? Like I always knew someone like him existed, I was just waiting for him to come into my life. Is that how you felt with dad?"

Renee looked at me with her eyes shining and a wobbly smile. She took my hands in her and began her speech. "Hon, I know you're young. I know you have the rest of your life. Of course I don't want you to fall in love and find out he wasn't right for you or that he wasn't the man you thought he was. But to answer your question: no it's not strange at all. I felt the same way with your dad. He picked up my pencil during English, handed it to me and I knew it. All it took was him to pick something up for me to win my heart." She stopped for a moment to take a breath and then continued.

"Bella, just know that love like this doesn't happen all the time. It's very rare, actually. I don't want you to move so fast, okay? Your dad and I didn't and I think that's part of why we're still together after all these years. I'm assuming that part of why you fell for Edward so fast is his charm. He probably dropped a couple of amazing lines and you were like, "Oh yeah. This is it. This is what I want." But think about it. If a guy who doesn't know you can use these lines so easily, maybe he's more than meets the eye." I was shocked that she thought the exact same way I did.

"Then again, maybe he's just found the right girl to use them with. In any case, be careful. I don't want my only baby girl hurt over some stupid boy. Bottom line: keep your guard up. Besides, even if he is 'The One', play hard to get. Guys love that." She winked at me and I guessed that she was done with her speech.

Letting go of my hands, she left me swarming in my own thoughts and went back to her pictures.

Talking to Renee helped me, she was my best friend. I had Alice and Rose, but they weren't in love with guys and they certainly weren't married for over twenty years. My mom's advice was almost always right and she called it mother's intuition.

All I knew was that I had to be careful. I couldn't let myself get hurt and seem weak. And, like my mom pointed out, guys like girls that play hard to get. It was a win-win situation and I was proud of myself for taking care of my insecurities so quickly.

I sighed contently, turned my head to Renee, thanked her and folded my arms behind my head. Leaning back, I closed my eyes and waited for our seats to be called onto the plane.

--

A/N: Whoops about updating slow. I'm a slow updater. Sorry folks. Oh, and you want music or outfits and whatnot, feel free to tell me. OH AND IF YOU HAVE IDEAS, PIPE UP! Generally, readers' ideas are wonderfully cool. :]


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